1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display device, and more particularly, to a plasma display device with a structure in which the heat generated from a plasma display panel is effectively dissipated.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plasma display device uses a discharge gas to display an image and heat is generated by the plasma display panel when an image is displayed. Furthermore, if the amount of electrical discharge of the plasma display device is increased to improve the brightness under the same conditions, the heat generated by the plasma display panel is further increased. Accordingly, it is important to effectively dissipate the heat for the plasma display panel to work smoothly.
In an effort to dissipate the heat, a plasma display panel of a plasma display device is affixed to a chassis base having a high thermal conductivity. In addition, a heat discharge sheet or a thermal conduction sheet is interposed between the plasma display panel and the chassis base so that the heat generated by the plasma display panel can be conducted and dissipated from the device to the heat discharge sheet and the chassis base. The chassis base is generally made of metal, such as aluminum, and is manufactured by a die casting process. The heat discharge sheet is made of silicone resin, acrylic resin, etc.
The heat discharge sheet developed for plasma display devices including the above mentioned technology, has a structure such that the heat from the plasma display panel is transferred toward the thickness direction to dissipate the heat from the device through the chassis base. That is, the heat discharge sheet of the plasma display device has a role in transferring the heat in a one dimensional direction along the thickness direction to dissipate the heat. Accordingly, it is an important technical issue to prevent the decrease in the heat discharge efficiency due to an air layer of low thermal conductivity by tightly contacting the heat discharge sheet between the panel and the chassis base.
The heat discharge sheet is substantially effective considering that the plasma display panel has a thin structure. However, as the plasma display panel increases in size in accordance with the technology developments and the customers' needs, and as the heat generated by the plasma display panel is transferred in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction i.e. the plane direction of the heat discharge sheet as well as the thickness direction of the heat discharge sheet, the heat discharge sheet has a problem in that the heat discharge efficiency is lowered.
In addition, the heat dissipation of the plasma display panel is based on the assumption that the heat generation by the panel is large. However, as the efficiency of the panel increases, the heat generated by the panel is decreased and accordingly, the heat generated by the circuit unit is relatively increased so that some of the heat generated by the circuit unit can be transferred to the panel. Under such circumstances, it is necessary to protect the panel from the heat generated by the circuit. However, the usual heat discharge methods cannot eliminate the heat transfer from the circuit unit to the panel.